Volume LIII, Issue 6

Principal: Dr. Jacqueline McEvoy
PTSA President: Preeva Tramiel
Co-Editors:Stephanie Klein, Marcia Yeates and Elliott Sopkin

President's Letter

Principal's Letter

PTSA Board News & Slate

Parent Ed and Election Night

Parent Network Meetings

PTSA and School Calendar

Team Update

College & Career Ctr. Notes

STAR & AP Calendar

WASC

Guidance News

ACS

Pie

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From the PTSA President

It's spring! Prom is happening April 5, Graduation is in June, and in May we will have Teacher Appreciation Week, AP Tests, and California Standards (aka STAR) tests. Toward the end of May, we will have our annual Volunteer Thank-You Luncheon, which the PTSA coordinates with Beth Martin, to thank and acknowledge parent and community volunteers. Teachers, if you have parents that help in your classrooms, start gathering names for the program, and send them on to Beth Martin.

What will next year look like for parents? Because of decisions taken at the last few Executive Board and General meetings, I can say it will be different.  The PTSA will be doing more active fundraising than it ever has, with 'Buy it Now' and wrapping paper sales, a lower direct ask, and directed lines on our fundraising materials for special programs and basic supplies like markers, paper, whiteboards, library books, and other consumables. Depending on how that fundraising goes, the teachers may have larger departmental budgets, or smaller ones. These changes are happening to give everyone a chance to maximize their donations to Paly in ways they feel good about.  In the past the PTSA just asked for one large check in the Back to School packet, and divided it up based on the budget approved by membership at the beginning of the year.  Next year, there will be more 'buckets' to put your money into, provided right up front.  So make s ure you have enough checks for August, you can write more small checks for what you specifically like, instead of one larger check that you entrust to the PTSA process. And there will be increased coordination with Partners in Education.

It is budgeting season, where we project the needs we will have for next year. If you, as a parent, see a need that needs filling, seek out the Budget Review Committee: Suzanne Attenborough, Bruce Rohde, Cheri Sopkin, Preeva Tramiel, Jacquie McEvoy, and Kindel Launer. If elected, Elaine Hahn and Stacy Mason will be on the committee, also.  Give them ideas for what we need to spend money on.  There already are so many specialized programs, we don't want to forget anything.

What will next year look like for students? Well, thanks to Jacquie McEvoy, at least 120 freshmen and parents will be more familiar with campus than in previous years.  That is how many people came to the campus tour arranged by Jacquie and the PTSA and graciously led by Jacquie, Chuck Merritt, Kim Diorio, Jerry Berkson, Suzanne Attenborough, Mandy Lowell, Coleen Neilson, and myself.  The comments I heard from the parents were "this campus is so big, it's like college" and from the students were "Look at all the computers!" 

What about the teachers? They are going through the self-study process of Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).  Parent liaisons to the WASC focus groups will be announced around May 1.  Parents will be involved with their focus groups until September, 2009.  The PTSA is coordinating a series of parent coffees where your questions, grievances, visions and comments can be recorded and archived for the focus groups to study. Watch the Paly Link for times and locations of the coffees coming up this spring.

What will next year look like for the community?  A lot of that depends on whether the bond measure passes in June.  The bond, which was unanimously endorsed by the PTSA executive board at the March meeting, is meant to address some long-standing needs at Paly, like our oldest buildings, the Tower Building and Haymarket Theater.  New classrooms and replacement of portables are on the list of projects, as well as two rounds of new technology. Remember the Site Council meetings with Bob Golton that occurred in January? One result of those meetings, where the community was invited to study the project list for the bonds, is that Paly is now supposed to get a newer, larger auditorium by 2010. I encourage you all as parents and citizens to find out more about the bond measure at its website: http://strongpausd.org/

Happy Spring!

Preeva Tramiel

Paly PTSA President

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From the Principal

Dear Vikings,

We are now well into the spring semester at Paly, and we are already preparing for the 2008 – 2009 school year!  Over the past several weeks, students, from our incoming 9th graders to our 11th graders, have been going through the process of registering for classes for next year.  It is important that parents participate in class selection so our students make informed choices that support their long-term academic goals.  Our teacher advisors play a key role in this process and should be contacted if you have any questions or concerns.  In order to welcome our future Vikings currently in the 8th grade, we held meetings for the parents of our incoming 9th graders from Jordan, JLS, and Terman, and our guidance staff spent time during the school day at the middle schools to provide information and assistance with selecting courses. On March 15, we conducted a well-attended tour of the Paly campus for all of our incoming 9th grade families.  Our goal is to ensure that every student new to Paly feels welcomed and supported. 

The testing season has begun with the administration of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) during March.  Proficiency on the CAHSEE is required for a student to be awarded a diploma from Paly.  State-mandated California Standards tests (CSTs) and Advanced Placement (AP) exams will take place in May.    The CSTs (also referred to as the STAR Program) are end-of-course tests that provide teachers and the school with important information regarding student performance.  It helps us analyze how well our courses are meeting the state academic standards in a particular subject.  All Paly courses across all departments are now aligned with or in the process of being aligned with the state standards.  This year, our teachers are participating in the process of curricular mapping for every course we offer at Paly.  A curricular map provides a blueprint of how the course assessments and assignments are meeti ng the California state standards at each grade level.  Curricular maps and the results of the CSTs are just two of the multiple measures we use to assess our curriculum and instruction.  These measures help us to review and adjust our teaching to meet the needs of all of our students.  To reduce the demands and stress on our junior students who are taking AP exams this year, we have scheduled our mandatory CSTs on May 14 and May 15 so that they occur after the AP exams.  We are expecting every 9th, 10th, and 11th grader to participate in the STAR Program and do his or her best.  Successful participation in the STAR Program, indicated by scoring at the proficient level in core subjects, will be a factor in determining eligibility for Advanced Placement courses. 

For the last several months, the teachers at Paly have been reviewing the structure of our school day and our bell schedule and I wanted to share with you where we are in those discussions.  There are three changes to the school day that have been under consideration: changing the start time of school, adding a seventh period to the block schedule; and increasing the number of block days from two to four per week.  During April, the students will be surveyed to get their opinions about the proposed changes.  At this point, there appears to be widespread support for pushing the daily start time of school to a later time next fall.  There also appears to be support for continuing the discussion regarding our block schedule into next year.  Any major changes to the block schedule would not occur until 2009 – 2010.  The next step regarding the start time of school will be to analyze the effects of any change on traffic pat terns.  These discussions will include the district office and the city of Palo Alto.   Our goal would be to start school as late as 8:15 a.m. but that will depend on the results of the traffic study.

Sincerely,

Jacquie McEvoy
Principal

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Paly PTSA Executive Board Endorses PAUSD School Bond Measure

The PAUSD School Board unanimously voted to put a comprehensive school bond measure on the June ballot. On March 13, the Paly PTSA Executive Board voted to endorse this bond and to "vigorously advocate in favor of its benefits for all children in the PAUSD." The bond will be called "Measure A."

If passed in June, the bond would make $378 million available for PAUSD facilities, help accommodate the district's growing enrollment, and ensure that construction and maintenance are in line with economically and ecologically sustainable construction standards -- with no increase in tax rate. The current rate on the 1995 bond is $44.5 per $100,000 in assessed (not market) value.

Proposed Paly facilities include a new performing arts center, the exact campus location for which has not yet been determined. In addition, the bond would modernize some buildings not fully renovated by Measure B, which was approved by voters in 1995. The bond proposal also includes a fund for technology and for building maintenance. For example, the bond would pay for two cycles of computer updates and replenishment.

Increased enrollment, coupled with reduced class size, has led to growing pains for PAUSD. Since the Measure B bond passed in 1995, enrollment has risen from 8,807 to 11,172 students and is projected to swell by at least another 1,000 students over the next seven years.

Using Measure B taxpayer funds, the district was able to pay for the construction of the new science building, the most recent building added to Paly since the Student Center was built in 1976. The 1995 bond also built, throughout the district,  more than two dozen permanent classrooms and five new libraries. Many existing structures were modernized and repaired, seismic upgrades were made, and electrical outlets were installed to accommodate the technology that did not exist when most of the classrooms were originally built. The proposed new bond would cover renovations, which would include energy-saving structural enhancements, and add classrooms to accommodate the growing student population.

According to PAUSD School Board president Dana Tom, "This bond would move our facilities forward, supporting staff in accomplishing our primary goal of educating our students. It would bring significant upgrades to our existing facilities and more permanent structures rather than portables. We would build a new gym and aquatic center at Gunn, a performing arts center at Paly, and library expansions at some elementary schools."

The text of the ballot measure passed by the school board is available at www.pausd.org/community/board/downloads/brd_packet/item_004.pdf

Paly PTSA Board 2007-2008 Slate
Position	Name
President	Suzanne Attenborough
Exec VP	open
1st VP Programs	Maureen Simons
2nd VP Fundraising	Stacy Mason and Elaine Hahn
3rd VP Hospitality	Arti Miglani
4th VP Community Service	Anne Stewart and Danielle Mewes
5th VP Communications	Jaspi Sandhu
6th VP Health & Welfare	Tracy Neistadt and Chris Chang
Recording Secretary	Sandra Tucher
Corresponding Secretary	Karen Ersted
Treasurer	Bruce Rohde
Auditor	open
Historian	Colleen Nielsen
Council Rep #1	open
Council Rep #2	open
Council Rep #3	open
Parlimentarian (appointed)	Mandy Lowell
Note:  Where two names are listed for one position, the first person will be elected for official PTSA purposes, but the two will function as a team Back to top
Paly PTSA Elections and Parent Ed Program How to Throw a Safe, Legal Party (that kids still want to come to) ERC in the Library Thursday, April 17, 2008 Coffee and snacks at 8:15 a.m.; Program and meeting at 8:30 a. m
The California State PTA is deeply concerned about the damaging effects the Governor's proposed budget would have on children and families. For more information and to learn more about what you can do visit the website of the Californai State PTA at http://www.capta.org.

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Bravo!

A round of applause for every Paly family who helped make this year’s Partners in Education (PiE) campaign the most successful ever! Thanks to you, Partners in Education is presenting $2.3 million to Palo Alto Schools.  

For Paly, that will translate to roughly $144 per student next Fall (up from $118 per student this year). If our enrollment were to stay the same, the total amount would be well over $240,000. Our teachers, students and administrators are all grateful for your support.

We also want to thank the terrific and generous families who sponsored this year’s “Spread the Love” Challenge. Besides offering matching funds, these anonymous donors also set aside $3,000 to “Spread the Love” at Paly. At the end of the Challenge, the names of three donors were drawn.  Each of the winners was given $1,000 to allocate to the Paly organization of their choice. Congratulations to winners Don Lundgren (Soccer),  Bonnie & Joe Brock (Cross Country), and  Debra Pynchon & Chris Sanchez (Art Program).

Your PiE Team is already working hard, alongside the Paly PTSA,  putting together some terrific plans for next fall. Don’t forget that next year includes another amazing Black and White Ball.   The big night is October 4, 2008,  so save that date!

Thank you Paly!

Anne Barry, Elaine Hahn, Mary Haverstock
PalyPiE@gmail.com

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Parent Network Meetings

Chat with other parents from your student’s grade level about parenting issues. Share ideas, concerns and strategies. Informal meetings are scheduled once each month with the purpose of widening circles of community, support and responsibility. If you can’t attend a meeting, check out the Parent Network webpage for information from past meetings

Project 2011 (Freshman Parent Network) Monthly Meetings

• Thursday, April 10, 7 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. in the ERC in the Library. Hear a panel of junior and sophomore teens and parents discuss “What we wish we had known at this time last year.”
• Thursday, May 22, 8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Location TBD, “Burning issues parents may want to share, which may include parent teen communications, how to engage conversation, boundaries, and computer socializing.

For more information contact Annette DeStefano at aokdes@yahoo.com or Andrea Stern at sternfam1@comcast.net

Project 2010 (Sophomore Parent Network) Monthly Meetings (locations TBD)

• Tuesday, March 11 at 8:30am - Regular meeting to discuss summer plans.
• Thursday, April 10 at 8:30am
• Tuesday, May 20 at 8:30am

For more information contact Keri Lung (keri.lung@yahoo.com) or JoAnne Voet (jvoet@sbcglobal.net)

Project 2009 (Junior Parent Network) Monthly Meetings (locations TBD)

• Friday, April 4, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m.at the home of Amy Greene, 1481 Pitman.Topic: "Teen Cuisine - Healthy Body Image and Nutrition Ideas for Teens"
• Friday, May 2, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m. at the home of Jean MacDonald, 827 San Francisco Court on Stanford Campus.- Topic: "Dollars and Cents: Managing Money"
• Friday, June 6, 8:15 - 9:15 am. at the home of Lucy LaPier, 225 Tennyson Ave - Topic: "Looking Ahead to Senior Year"

For more info and notes of previous meetings, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palyproject2009/

Project 2008 (Senior Parent Network)
Contact Sukie Stanley at sukiestanley@mindspring.com or Cece Long at cecilong@pacbell.net
For more information about the networks in general visit www.paly.paloaltopta.org/parent_network.html and watch the Paly Link (http://palylink.paloaltopta.org/) for announcements about meetings and events.

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NOW IS THE TIME
for Parents interested in serving on the
2008-2010 Paly Site Council
to STEP FORWARD
DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2008

PARENTS. Please consider submitting your name as a candidate for a two-year position on the Paly Site Council. We are presently seeking candidates for two parent representative seats on the Paly Site Council for 2008-2010. To be eligible, a parent must have a student at Paly during his or her entire term and be able to attend afternoon meetings. In addition, no employee of the PAUSD is eligible to serve as a parent representative.

Each candidate will be asked to write a short statement which will appear on a ballot in the August Back-to-School packet. Each candidate should also plan to attend the meetings on May 5, May 19 and June 2. The deadline for submitting your name and the short statement is May 1. Please feel free to attend the March 3, March 17 or April 14 meetings to learn more about the Council. If you are interested or wish to nominate someone, please call Site Council Coordinator Edie Miller at 329-3710 ext 7301.

The Site Council is composed of parents, staff and students elected to represent their constituencies in site-based decision-making. The Council meets after school on most first and third Mondays of each month of the school year. The Council is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the school plan and understanding the school budget. This includes selecting and monitoring school projects which may receive approximately $50,000. The Council is regularly updated on school and district issues, budget matters and other important issues. Details are available in the Paly Site Council minutes and agendas published on the Paly Link, in the Paly Reporter and posted in the main hall of the Tower Building.

Paly Site Council Update

At the March 3, 2008 meeting, the Council heard reports from Instructional Supervisors, Kris Brockmann (Special Education), Eric Bloom (History and Social Science), Radu Toma (Math), and Ron Williamson (Visual and Performing Arts). There were updates from Principal McEvoy on the Bond Issue, the bell schedule, the budget and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). There were also reports from PTSA and Student Council. The last three Instructional Supervisor reports will be given on March 17. Site Council members will finish giving reviews of current projects. The next meetings are scheduled for April 14, May 5, May 19 and June 2. At these meetings the Council will be making funding decisions for the 2008-09 school year and evaluating other ongoing projects. Everyone is welcome.

Site Council elections for 2008-09 are coming up.

The agenda for each meeting is posted on the Paly Link, the PTSA /Site Council website and in the main office. Members of the community are invited to address the Council on non-agenda items at the beginning of each regular meeting. Minutes are also posted in the front hall of the Tower Building and on the Paly Link. Meeting dates are listed on the Paly Reporter calendar and on the Paly Link. Everyone is welcome to attend. Further questions or comments can be addressed to Edie Miller, Site Council Coordinator, 329-3710 ext 7301 or emiller@pausd.org.

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SpARCs from the ARC

Last month Paly Reporter readers were treated to a candid interview with a typical Academic Resource Center (ARC) tutoring team. In keeping with our mission of bringing different voices into the Reporter, here are the stories of two students, a tutor and a tutee, sharing their reflections on their time in the ARC.

Tess Christy, Spanish Tutor,
Class of 2008:

"I admit that selfishness was what got me into tutoring--I was looking for some extra credit points in my Spanish class.  I didn't think there would be anything I'd get out of tutoring after my teacher told me she didn't offer extra credit, but I had already signed up and decided to stick to it.

Time passed and not only did I have a self-righteous buzz from helping my tutees, but I was making new friends and improving my own Spanish skills.  I was surprised to find that learning how to be a teacher had helped me as a student.  I thank the ARC coordinators for providing me with this valuable experience, one I enjoy just as much now as I did when I started tutoring over a year ago. I recommend the program to any capable student with a bit of extra time. "   T.C. --March 2008.

Kimberli Reed, Physics Tutee,
Class of 2009

"I first heard about the ARC in my first advisory as a freshman.  Although I did not use the ARC until my sophomore year, after my first session I felt that I really understood the material better.  When I first met my tutor I was really nervous for two reasons:  1) because I did not know my tutor and 2) because I was not quite sure how the session was supposed to go.  However after ten minutes I realized that there was nothing to be nervous about.  My tutor was really nice and extremely helpful in explaining topics I thought I would never understand.  The most beneficial part was being able to study with my tutor one-on-one . . . .All in all the helpful tutors and encouraging environment have helped me generally raise my grade a whole letter grade (from C+ to B-).

"Now that I am in my second year of tutoring I know that in every session I can expect exceptional help in classes such as chemistry, physics, and algebra.  Since I meet with my tutor at lunch we usually don't have time to chitchat.  When I arrive at the ARC I immediately look for my tutor and a room for us to use.  Generally, he asks me what new topic we are studying and asks me how it is going.  I pull out a worksheet and begin to inform him on the areas where I am having trouble.  He answers my questions in addition to reviewing the work I have already done.  In rare cases we sometimes have time left over in which we discuss school news such as AP testing and prom.

"My advice to newcomers is to take a chance because the tutors are very helpful and dedicated.  Even though sometimes you may be cut short on time, your tutor makes every moment worth it.  Also the longer you attend the ARC the more friendships you develop and even though it can be a little loud you should know that everyone there helps make an encouraging and helpful environment."  K.R.--March 2008.

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News from the English Department

In keeping with our annual “Spring has Sprung” tradition here in the English Department, we are pleased to announce that Emily Lassen and her husband Danny will be bring our newest member of the family into the world this August.  Congratulations!

The Journalism Education Association's Student Impact Award announced today that the top prize will be awarded this year to The Viking sports magazine of Palo Alto (CA) High School, Peter Johnson & Noah Sneider, Co-Editors-in-Chief. This top honor in student journalism recognizes the upstart magazine’s coverage of high school hazing and initiations. The award, which includes a $1000 prize, will be presented at the spring JEA Convention, April 17-20, at the Anaheim Disneyland Marriott Hotel. The JEA Impact Award recognizes student writing that brings issues to the forefront and from the walls of high schools to the world at large. In only its second issue as a new publication, The Viking, with the guidance of advisor Ellen Austin, published a leading feature that shed light on the tradition of hazing and initiations that had taken place for years in various sports at Palo Alto High School.  Each year the judging panel has th e difficult task of determining the one winner of this award. While writing, depth, and the difficulty of the topic or situation are important considerations, the entry must clearly have demonstrated the impact it had -- a profound affect on the student(s) involved, his/her peers, the school, the community and beyond.  The judging panel used this criteria and the depth of the material presented in making its decision.

Esther Wojcicki took The Campanile staff to NYC again this year.  They were there from Feb. 20-24 and stayed at the Best Western in the Times Square area. Students had an opportunity to visit Google, where they participated in a user study in groups of five to six and then gave short presentations of their findings. The Google hosts were amazed by the quality and creativity of the student presentations.  The students were then treated to a wonderful lunch at Google with an amazing view of the city. The group also went to NBC studios for a tour, where some of the students were lucky enough to see Carrie Underwood practicing for Saturday Night Live. Additionally, the Campanile staff visited the Wall Street Journal offices where they heard an amazing line up of speakers: Robert Thomson, publisher; Alan Murray, Editor-in-Chief; and Matt Murray, News Editor. Students were given video cameras and the opportunity to film their impressions of NYC, thanks to Learning Matters with John Merrow and PBS. The films are being editing for airing on Learning Matters sometime this month.  At The New York Times, students were given a tour of the new building and were addressed by Senior Vice President Martin Nisenholtz who is in charge of NYTimes.com. At Columbia University, they attended a private lecture by Betty Medsger, a former Washington Post reporter and expert in journalistic ethics and a lecture on the history of student journalism in America by Columbia Scholastic Press Association President Ed Sullivan. In the evenings, students saw the drama August: Osage County and the new rock musical Passing Strange. A special thanks to the chaperones on the trip, including teachers Jeanne Loh, Emily Garrison and Carla Guerard and USC Ph.D. student Robby Ratan.

Jeanne Loh took her American Writers of Color class to see Mummified Deer, written by Luis Valdez and directed by his son Kinan Valdez at San Jose State University on March 5, which San Jose’s mayor had declared Luis Valdez Day.

Several of the TEAM students worked hard on the production of "The Lost Generation", a dramatization from the novel All Quiet on the Western Front. TEAM students from past years helped direct and stage-manage this year's production.

In the Exploratory Thinking 1 classes, Mr. Emmanuel Williams is conducting a 10-week poetry writing residency. Mr. Williams, or Emmanuel to the students, is a local poet from Pacifica who is well known for his riddles. Thanks to generous donations from the PTSA and the Fox family, he is giving the students ways to express themselves through poetry. He also encourages students to think in different ways than usual through verbal exercises and activities. Students are enthusiastic about Williams’s approach, and have been producing some impressive works of poetry.
Many thanks to the kind parent of a Paly grad who made a significant donation to help increase the Film Composition and Literature film lending library. This generous and thoughtful action is much appreciated by the students.

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NOT IN OUR SCHOOL
SAY "NO" TO HATE IN 2008!

It's April, and the PALY Student Diversity Coalition is organizing the Third Annual Not In Our School celebration!  We will be celebrating diversity, identity safety, and unity to combat hate.  This year we are excited to present a variety of activities during the lunch hour the week of April 14 - 18.  We hope to include Stanford and San Jose State University students for entertainment during our activities. Please keep an eye out for evening community events as well throughout the month.

We are also calling upon the community to help with fundraising and involvement in our activities.  If you can contribute funds or time, please contact Magdalena Rivera at mrivera@pausd.org.  Thank you for your support!

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The Palo Alto Unified School District presents the Guest Artist Jazz Concert
featuring Gunn alumnus, Akira Tana, percussion
and the Gunn High School Jazz Ensemble and the Palo Alto High School Jazz Band
Spangenberg Theater, Gunn High School.
Friday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.

Mr. Tana, a native of San Jose, California, studied at Gunn High School in the 1960s, and is a graduate of Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music. He has played with such greats as Sonny Rollins, Lena Horn, Maurice Hines, and The Manhattan Transfer, appearing on over 150 recordings.  Mr. Tana has five releases on Concord Records, three releases on Evidence Music, and two releases on Sons of Sound.  In 2007, Mr. Tana released “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” themes from the James Bond movies.  An active teacher and clinician, Mr. Tana is currently an Adjunct Professor at San Francisco State University.

The PAUSD Guest Artist concert is now in its 31st year.  Founded by former Gunn Jazz Ensemble Director, Rich Prioste, it is designed to give a unique performing experience to Palo Alto students.  Today, the program allows students to rehearse, participate in master classes, and perform with experienced jazz professionals.  Previous Guest Artists have included John Handy, Bobby Hutcherson, and Pete Escovedo.

This special jazz concert at Spangenberg is $10 for adults, and $5 for students and seniors with ID.  For further information contact tsummers@pausd.org or 650.354.826

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TEAM TAKES

Right after the school bell rang in the fall, the 114 freshman students participating in the Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM) program were off and running. Within the first few weeks of school, they had their first outing: a team-building experience at Foothill Park. The students got to know each other better by competing in a series of rope courses followed by an evening of camping. This prepared them for their next big adventure: a week in Yosemite! Blessed with perfect November weather, the students spent a week at the Yosemite Institute where they did hands on science projects with seasoned experts from the institute leading the way. Day and night hikes, campfires and other wilderness experiences were all part of the fun.

January finished with the Poetry Coffee House where students had the opportunity to hang out in a funky setting (think Berkeley in the 60’s) to read their original poetry while lounging on oversized pillows and munching on delectable snacks. The Coffee House was followed by Movie Night, a social event offering a student-selected movie, pizza, drinks and popcorn.

Now that the weather is warmer, please visit the TEAM garden located near the science building. Fruit trees and winter vegetables were recently planted. This is a community garden and benches are provided for all to enjoy.

Next up for TEAM students is a dramatization of All Quiet on the Western Front, and a WWI reenactment, which will both take place on campus. Watch out for flying water balloons! Upcoming field trips include an exciting and informative trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a scavenger hunt in Cannery Row, as well as a visit to an organic family-owned farm in the Central Valley.

Team Parents
Gina, Kristin and Pearl

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PTSA and School Calendar

April

May

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College and Career Center Notes

Seniors
Congratulations! By the time that you are reading this article, you will have received acceptances from colleges and be well on your way to making that final college choice.  As you are considering the options that are available to you, remember that each college will be "right" for you in different ways. I am happy to speak with you if you think it would help to have another perspective. However, have confidence in the research and thinking that you did in order to formulate the final list of colleges to which you applied, and rely on your instincts with respect to the campus which you think fits your goals, interests, and personality.  Please keep me posted about your college results.

Remember that all acceptances are based on satisfactory completion of your senior year. Don’t risk a mid-summer letter withdrawing your admission offer because of a second semester senior slump. You have all devoted much energy and time to reach this point so hang in there and finish on a positive note!
If you are placed on a wait list, please come and see me to discuss your options. If you are still interested in the college, there are steps that you can take in order to indicate your genuine interest. However, do not wait to hear about final wait list status without putting a deposit down at another college by the May 1 candidates reply date. A deposit should be made to only one college and will be forfeited if you are taken off a wait list and select to attend that wait-listed school. Colleges should notify you about wait list status no later than August 1.

Once you have decided which college you will attend, be sure to complete the transcript-request form and submit it to the registrar before the end of the school year. A final transcript, including second semester grades, should be sent only to the college where you make a deposit.  In compliance with National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) principles, Paly will only send one final transcript to one college per student. 
Campus Housing Reminder: Some colleges (including some UCs) have NOT sent information about campus housing along with acceptance information. If you haven't received housing information for the college you wish to attend, look it up online. Be sure to check the deadline -- some are earlier than May 1. Housing applications must be submitted by the deadlines to receive priority consideration!

Financial Aid: If you filed a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by March 2, you should have received the Student Aid Report (SAR) which contains the federal financial aid information.  The financial aid offices at each college to which you applied will use the SAR to determine how much and which kinds of financial aid you are eligible to receive. They will try to meet your financial need through a “package” that combines aid from both federal and state sources with loans, institutional grants and student employment. Following this review, each school will send you an award letter that explains which types and amounts of aid you are eligible to receive. There is no standard format for these award letters, but most are made up of financial calculations which include the cost of attendance, expected family contribution (EFC) and financial need. The financial awards section will specify the type of aid which is being offered to meet this need.

You must notify the college whether you plan to accept or decline the awards. You do not have to accept all aspects of the offer, but if you decline a specific portion it is unlikely that the school will substitute another form of aid. As a rule, the financial aid office has offered you as much as possible in grants and scholarships, so do not assume that these awards will be increased should you decline work-study or loans. If your financial circumstances have changed since the FAFSA was filed, you should notify the financial aid office.

Juniors
CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP) and STAR testing. 
The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is an academic preparation program developed by the California Department of Education (CDE), the State Board of Education, and the California State University (CSU).  In addition to determining college readiness (or identifying the need for additional preparation for college-level courses and adjusting senior year coursework to prepare for college-level courses), students’ performance can earn them exemptions from CSU-required English and mathematics placement testing.  These voluntary assessments in English language arts and mathematics are augmentations to the grade eleven STAR testing on May 14 and 15; 15 additional questions in language arts and 15 additional questions on the math test (for students taking the Algebra 2 and summative math level tests for STAR).  The writing assessment was administered in mid-March in Junior English classes.  Results are mailed to students’ home in Au gust.  For more information, see www.CSUSuccess.org/juniors.

In the next couple of months, juniors should be focusing on the following aspects of the post-secondary planning process:
Visit the College and Career Center in order to make an appointment to speak with both a college advisor and our career advisor if you would like to discuss both avenues of exploration. Students will be required to complete the Post High School Planning information via an online survey in Naviance, print it out, and present this form to the C&CC before they can schedule an appointment with a college and/or career advisor.  First meetings should be with students only (parents might want to attend subsequent meetings).  
Study the Viking College and Career Planning Guide distributed in advisory in April.  This is an excellent primary resource for all your college and career-related questions.

Stay on top of deadlines for SAT Reasoning or ACT tests and SAT Subject tests. The junior year is a critical time to complete the initial testing sequence.
Visit colleges or attend local college fairs to continue your college search.

Research opportunities for summer activities by checking out the listings at the College and Career Center link at paly.net.

Upcoming Events
The Community College Forum will be held on Tuesday, April 8 at 10:45 a.m. in the ERC (in the library). All juniors and seniors thinking of attending a community college are invited; parents are welcome. Representatives from local community colleges will discuss registration, financial aid, career programs, transfer programs, and anything else you may have questions about.   The reps will also be in front of the Library during lunch (11:40 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.) to answer further questions.

• Foothill College Middle College Family Night - Wednesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. in Appreciation Hall.  Mandatory for applicants & their parents. Middle College is a program open to sophomores and juniors, designed to meet the needs of bright but underachieving students, or students dissatisfied with traditional high-school environments.
• College Fairs: The fairs are free and open to students and parents. These are excellent opportunities to research colleges and universities. Information about making the most of college fairs is available in the C&CC.
• The San Francisco NACAC College Fair will be held on Thursday, April 17 at Concourse Exhibition Center from 3 – 7 p.m.  For more information, see http://nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/Events/CollegeFairs/
• The Santa Clara County Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC) College Fair will be held on Thursday, April 24 at Mission College between 6:00-8:00 p.m. For more information, see http://wacac.goalquest.net/index.php/college_fairs/
• Local Community College’s High School Student Programs
  These events offer an opportunity to learn about special campus resources, student life, financial aid, as well as academic and certificate programs and transfer preparation.
• College of San Mateo’s Connect to College night for high school students and parents.  Wednesday, April 9 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria (Building 5).  To RSVP or for more information call 650-574-6646.
• Explore Your College Options at Canada College (in Redwood City) on Tuesday, April 15 from 8:30 – 1:30 in the main theater.  For more information, call 650-306-3166.
• Foothill College’s first annual High School Senior Conference on Wednesday, April 30 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the Smithwick Theater.  For more information, call 650-949-7100.

The College and Career Center is open daily. You are welcome to stop by and explore the resources which are available in the center.
Sandra Cernobori
College Advisor

Summer Classroom Aide Opportunity

June 23 – July 18

Student Aides needed for the following summer school programs:

• Elementary Math Intervention at Juana Briones, four hours each day, 8:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.
• Middle school Reading and Math Intervention at JLS Middle School, four hours each day, 8:00 a.m.– 12:15 p.m.

Students can either get paid for working in the summer, or they can get community service hours.

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For more information contact Chuck Merritt at cmerritt@pausd.org or 650-329-3824.

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WASC IS COMING UP!

This spring, Paly is gearing up for WASC-Western Association of Schools and Colleges-a self-study process which happens every six years and involves everyone on campus.   We'll be working on WASC for nearly a year, until a visiting committee arrives in March 2009.

So what's it all about?  For the next year, all Paly will serve on two committees: a "home group," based in departments, and one of five schoolwide "focus groups" which will look at the key topics of curriculum, instruction, assessment, organization, and student support.  They will team up to analyze all aspects of the school and define its critical needs.  Next fall, staff will also develop specific 6-year action plans to address these needs.  When the visiting committee arrives, they will spend four days observing classes and talking with staff, students, and parents.

Parents, we also need your help!  As part of this process, the staff will be seeking your input.  What do you see working well?  What would you like to adjust?  Now's the time to speak up, and here are several ways:

1. Parent Survey: This will be made available later in the spring.
  Please plan to fill it out!

2.  Community Coffees: Between April and June, Principal Jacquie McEvoy will be going out to approximately 6 homes and community centers around Paly, to discuss key topics of concern.  She'll be there to listen and gather information which will be conveyed to all five focus groups and will be included in Paly's evidence portfolios for the self-study visit.  A complete calendar of these events will be posted soon in the Paly Link.

3.  Dedicated email address: Unable to make it to a coffee?  Paly will be setting up a dedicated email in-box, open through June, for parent comments and concerns. See the Link for more details.

4.  Focus Group Reps: Two parents have been appointed to serve as representatives on each of the staff's five focus groups.   A complete
 list, with contact information, will be posted in an upcoming Link.

Finally, the PTSA, under the leadership of hospitality chair Arti Miglani, will be supporting our staff with refreshments during their heavy upcoming meeting schedule.  The staff is most grateful for all of this support as everyone steps up for this crucial process.

Additional helps to support teacher and community work would be the donation of any gift cards that are going unused at home.

Questions?   Contact WASC coordinator Kindel Launer at klauner@pausd.org,, or principal Jacquie McEvoy at jmcevoy@pausd.org.

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News from the Guidance Department

Calendar

Spring has finally arrived which means the Guidance Department is busy planning for the upcoming school year.  Our Counselors are helping “new to our district” students register for next year’s courses, our Teacher Advisors are finalizing course selections for their advisees, and our College Advisors are scheduling individual appointments with juniors to discuss post-high school planning.  Please encourage your junior student to contact the College and Career Center to schedule an appointment, if they haven’t already done so.       

Advisory

On March 19th, an important advisory was held for all students to verify their course selections.  If needed, students were able to make changes with the assistance of their Teacher Advisors.  Our master schedule is built based on student requests, and as such, we’d like to thank all of the Teacher Advisors, Counselors, teachers, staff and parents who have assisted our students in making more informed decisions for next year’s courses. 

Juniors begin post-high school planning with a series of advisories in April and May.  To assist in this process, they will receive the Viking College and Career Planning Guide and Senior Profile forms.   These forms (which are available at http://www.paly.net/guidance) must by completed if a student needs a letter of recommendation from a Teacher Advisor. Toward the end of April, junior parents will receive a mailing with further information about what they and their student should do this spring to prepare for next year’s college applications.  

On April 9, Freshman will receive a list of next year’s Teacher Advisors for 10th through 12th grades.  We hope to post this list on the Paly website (http://www.paly.net/guidance) by mid-April.  Then, on April 30, your Freshman will be asked to provide their preferences. Final assignments will be announced in May.

Summer School 

This is the time of year when students begin thinking about summer plans.  And for a variety of reasons, many students will chose to take additional courses over the summer.  For those who are interested, PAUSD offers a range of semester classes through the district’s summer school program, which will be hosted at Gunn this year.  Information was recently mailed home and can also be found at: http://pausd.org/parents/programs/summ_school.shtml.

Paly students who take summer school courses through the district’s program simply need to register for their courses before the deadlines.  PAUSD summer school courses and grades are automatically posted to the Paly transcript.  Therefore, no additional paperwork is required at the end of the summer. However, those students who plan to take summer school courses outside of PAUSD, will need to complete the appropriate “Pre-Approval for Off-Campus Course” form BEFORE registering for their courses.  This form can be picked up in the Guidance office.  Students must complete the top section and return the form, along with their parent signature, to the Assistant Principal of Guidance and Curriculum for pre-approval.  This form must be completed for all off-campus coursework, including courses at school such as St. Francis, SIL, and Foothill College. 

For elective classes… please note, as per the Board policy, no more than 40 units (of the elected units required to meet the 210-unit graduation requirements) may be taken from off-campus courses without the express prior approval of the Assistant Principal of Guidance. Examples of electives classes can include World Language and third-year Math and Science courses.

For graduation requirements… the district’s policy on allowing students to take courses for high school credit is very strict.  We will not give permission for a student to take a class that is required for graduation unless there are special or unusual circumstances.  Students who wish to take a class that is a graduation requirement must obtain written permission from the Instructional Supervisor and the Assistant Principal of Guidance and Curriculum, prior to enrolling in the course.  Examples of graduation required courses include classes like Biology, English, Algebra, Economics and Living Skills.

Again, all students taking off-campus coursework should pick up the pre-approval form in the Guidance Office.  Our staff would be happy to explain the necessary steps to any students who have further questions.    

Once the appropriate signatures have been obtained, a copy of the form is put in the student’s cumulative file, a copy is mailed home to the parents/guardians, and a copy is given to the Instructional Supervisor for the respective department.  Upon completion of all coursework, the student is responsible for sending an official transcript to the Paly registrar, Suzie Brown.  Ms. Brown will then add this information to their Paly transcript.  The official transcript from the off-campus school will be kept in the student’s cumulative file for record keeping purposes.    

Please keep in mind that Foothill College and other community colleges are enforcing the California Education Code requirement that limits the number of high school students that can take community college classes during the summer session to 5% of each grade level (about 21-22 students per grade).  Students must also be 16 years of age or older to be eligible to take community college courses.  Students wishing to take a summer class at the community college setting should come to the Guidance office as soon as possible to pick up the appropriate paperwork.  We will sign and approve forms on a first come-first served basis which means there is a good chance Foothill college will reach capacity before the end of the year.  Once we have reached the 5% mark, students will not be permitted to register at that school and must therefore chose another community college. 

Tenure Congratulations

On March 18, the district hosted its annual Tenure Celebration, honoring certificated staff members given tenure status.  Among those honored was Sandra Cernobori, College Advisor in the College and Career Center!  Sandra joined the College and Career Center just two years ago.  Her leadership in implementing Naviance, organizing parent information evenings, consulting with Teacher Advisors, chairing the Scholarship committee, and most importantly, meeting individually with ALL seniors and juniors to discuss the college selection and application process at Paly has been a tremendous asset to our school.  A graduate of Cal Poly (SLO), Sandra has a background in education, having taught English for eight years at San Mateo High School.  We are fortunate to have someone with her background and expertise leading the College and Career Center at Paly.  Please join me in congratulating her on becoming a tenured member of PAUSD.  ;

 Kim Diorio

Assistant Principal  

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Parenting: Principles and Control vs. Values and Guidance

byMargaret Murchan, LCSW
ACS Program Director

In the movie, Gandhi, there is a scene in which Gandhi’s wife refuses to clean the latrine. That duty is one which is shared by members of the community – no exceptions. She asks Gandhi why he wants her, his wife, to do such menial work. “It’s not me, it’s the principle,” he says. She still refuses and they get into a heated argument, with Gandhi stomping off in anger. Enslaved by the principle, he lost sight of what mattered – his relationship with his wife.
Gandhi realizes his error. “What’s wrong with me?” he asks himself. He goes off to apologize to his wife. She responds by cleaning the latrine! His transformation was the seed of her transformation. There was a direct relationship between the two.

That story illustrates the difference between principle and value. It reminded me of how we relate to our children – often based on teaching them a principle. We need to try to balance the teaching of principle with understanding and compassion. This story alludes to the issue of control and guidance. Although not specifically stated by Gandhi, he was trying to control his wife and instead, his control only served to alienate her.

When we relate as parents to our children, we need to keep our goal in mind at all times. The goal is for them to grow up into productive, healthy adults and to know themselves. We do that by guiding them, not controlling them. Guiding has to do with modeling, giving examples, and some teaching of principle. Guiding is also a learned behavior. No one ever taught us how to be parents. We repeat with our children the models of parenting we learned at home, because it was a learned experience. The great thing about learning is that we can re-learn if we want to. If our model in our family of origin was not the one we want our children to have, we can change it. We can give them our model, not our parent’s model. We can do our own reading, take a parenting class, talk to other parents, especially parents who have older children in order to find our model. We will feel better about our own parenting and our children will be the beneficiaries.

Resources:  Thomas Gordon, Parent Effectiveness Training
      Sue Monk Kidd, First Light

Adolescent Counseling Services is a community non-profit, which provides vital counseling services on six secondary campuses at no charge to students and their families. To learn more about our services please visit the ACS website at www.acs-teens.org or call Margaret Murchan at ACS at (650) 424-0852, ext. 102.  ACS relies on the generosity of community members to continue offering individual, family, and group counseling to over 1,500 individuals annually, helping teens find their way! ACS provides critical interventions and mental health services, building a better future for tomorrow.